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Material structure, stiffness, and adhesion: why attachment pads of the grasshopper (Tettigonia viridissima) adhere more strongly than those of the locust (Locusta migratoria) (Insecta: Orthoptera)

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Abstract

The morphology, ultrastrucure, effective elastic modulus, and adhesive properties of two different smooth-type attachment pads were studied in two orthopteran species. Tettigonia viridissima (Ensifera) and Locusta migratoria (Caelifera) have a similar structural organization of their attachment pads. They both possess a flexible exocuticle, where the cuticular fibrils are fused into relatively large rods oriented at an angle to the surface. The compliant material of the pad contributes to the contact formation with the substrate. However, the pad material structure was found to be different in these two species. L. migratoria pads bear a thick sub-superficial layer, as well as a higher density of rods. The indentation experiments showed a higher effective elastic modulus and a lower work of adhesion for L. migratoria pads. When the indentations were made at different depths, a higher effective elastic modulus was revealed at lower indentation depths in both species. This effect is explained by the higher stiffness of the superficial pad layer. The obtained results demonstrate a clear correlation between density of the fibres, thickness of the superficial layer, compliance of the pad, and its adhesive properties. Such material structures and properties may be dependent on the preferred environment of each species.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Ms Koch (Wilhelma Zoo Insectarium, Stuttgart, Germany) for supply of insects for this study. Dr S. Enders and Dr N. Barbakadse (Max Planck Institute for Metals Research, Stuttgart, Germany) introduced and guided the first author in the nano-indentation technique. This study was partly supported by the project BioFuture 0311851 (Federal Ministry of Education and Science, BMBF, Germany) to SNG.

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Author notes

  1. Pablo Perez Goodwyn

    Present address: Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan

  2. Andrei Peressadko

    Present address: Nanotribology Laboratory for Information Storage and MEMS/NEMS(NLIM), Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Evolutionary Biomaterials Group, Department Arzt, Max Planck Institute for Metals Research, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany

    Pablo Perez Goodwyn, Andrei Peressadko & Stanislav Gorb

  2. Max Planck Institut für Entwicklungsbiologie, Spemannstr. 35, 72076, Tubingen, Germany

    Heinz Schwarz, Victoria Kastner & Stanislav Gorb

Authors
  1. Pablo Perez Goodwyn
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  2. Andrei Peressadko
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  3. Heinz Schwarz
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  4. Victoria Kastner
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  5. Stanislav Gorb
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Correspondence to Stanislav Gorb.

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Perez Goodwyn, P., Peressadko, A., Schwarz, H. et al. Material structure, stiffness, and adhesion: why attachment pads of the grasshopper (Tettigonia viridissima) adhere more strongly than those of the locust (Locusta migratoria) (Insecta: Orthoptera). J Comp Physiol A 192, 1233–1243 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-006-0156-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-006-0156-z

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